Bill > S0230

This Resolution establishes a special legislative commission in Rhode Island to thoroughly study and assess the potential implementation of a "Medicare-for-all" single-payer health insurance program. A single-payer system is one where a single public or quasi-public agency organizes healthcare financing, but the delivery of care remains largely private, aiming to simplify administration and control costs, as opposed to the current multi-payer system in the U.S. with numerous private insurance companies. The commission, composed of eleven members including legislators, healthcare providers, employer representatives, union representatives, and economics professors, will investigate the advantages and disadvantages of such a system for Rhode Island, considering factors like rising healthcare costs, insurance burdens on businesses and individuals, and the limitations of existing healthcare laws. The commission is tasked with reporting its findings and recommendations to the Senate within one year of the resolution's passage and will cease to exist two years after its passage.